Vol. 463 No. 5
65 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education the activities such as chess, bridge and draughts in respect of which applications have been made for recognition as sports activities; if such requests will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5035/96]
The applications in question were considered extensively by Cospóir, the National Sports Council. Following this the council recommended that chess, bridge and draughts should not be recognised because they did not satisfy Cospoir's guidelines for recognising National Governing Body of Sport, or qualify under the term "sport" as defined in the European Sports Charter. The guidelines and charter stipulate the need for an acceptable level of physical skill and effort before an activity can be recognised as sport or physical recreation.
In the circumstances, I am not in a position to grant recognition to either chess, bridge or draughts as a sport.
